A minute’s silence was observed in memory of Michael John Walsh ahead of the weekly cattle sale in Balla Mart in Co. Mayo yesterday (Saturday, March 2).
The former manager of the mart from 1990 to 2007 passed away unexpectedly last Sunday (February 25) following a short illness.
Michael John, who is survived by his wife Kathleen and his five children, was laid to rest in Ballymote, Co. Sligo on Thursday.
Ahead of the minute’s silence, auctioneer at Balla Mart Ray Clarke paid tribute to Michael John Walsh.
“He was a great mart manager, a great people manager. He was a really good cattle man and he was a gentleman and he’ll always be remembered here,” he said.
Clarke said that Michael John had worked to put Balla Mart “on the map” and “set the seeds for what it is today, one of the leading marts in the country”.
Balla Mart
The weekly sale then took place with mart management reporting a good trade for light store bullocks, while heifers, especially breeding types, made strong prices.
Bullocks in the 300-400kg weight category averaged €3.26/kg. Store bullocks from 400-500kg averaged €3.16/kg. Heavier bullocks around 500kg averaged €3.13/kg.
The quality heavy bullocks of over 600kg were making between €3.03 -3.16/kg or up to €1,500 with the weight.
A Charolais cross bullock weighing 670kg made €2,180 or €3.25/kg, while a lighter example weighing 350kg made €1,680 or €4.80/kg.
Lighter store heifers weighing from 300–400kg averaged €3.28/kg. Heifers in the 400-500kg weight category averaged €3.09/kg. While heifers over 500kg averaged €3.13/kg.
A Limousin breeding heifer with good colour and shape, weighing 605kg made €2,920 or €4.83/kg sold by a farmer from Claremorris, Co. Mayo.
There were a large number of dry cows offered for sale at Balla Mart yesterday, with prices being pushed on by online buyers from Northern Ireland. A 810kg Charolais cross dry cow made €2,490 or €3.07/kg.
Bull weanlings sold after the bullocks and those in the 200-350kg category averaged €2.88/kg, in the 350-450kg category the prices averaged €3.18/kg, while bulls over 450kg averaged €3.14/kg.